Appeal for witnesses following police pursuit in Taunton

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is appealing for witnesses after a fatal road traffic collision following a police pursuit in Taunton on Thursday morning (17 October).

Conner Palmer, 18, died after the Ford B-Max he was driving overturned in Clifton Terrace at around 2.30am.

A marked Avon and Somerset Police vehicle had been pursuing the car, which police suspected was stolen, prior to the collision.

Two passengers, a 35-year-old man and a 24-year-old man, sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital.

After being notified by Avon and Somerset Police, we sent investigators to the scene and to the post incident procedures.

We have been carrying out house to house enquiries and collecting CCTV footage from the area.

Regional Director Catrin Evans said: “My thoughts are with Conner’s family at this difficult time and everyone affected by this incident.

“We have met Conner’s family to explain our role and offer our condolences.

“We will continue to gather evidence and hope that anyone who witnessed the incident or saw the car being driven around Taunton prior to the collision contacts our investigators.”

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident should contact the IOPC on email [email protected] or call 0800 029 4691.

Update December 2022

A week-long inquest held at Wells ended on 9 December when a jury returned an outcome of misadventure.

Our investigation, which concluded in November 2020, found no indication that the police officer involved in a short pursuit of a suspected stolen car in Taunton prior to the sad death of Conner Palmer behaved in a manner that would justify bringing disciplinary proceedings. The investigation examined the decision-making of the police officer and their communication with the control room during the pursuit, and whether police actions were in accordance with local and national policy and guidance.

IOPC investigators attended the scene and oversaw the forensic examination that took place. We obtained statements from relevant officers and police staff involved, and reviewed audio and visual evidence, including CCTV of the pursuit.

We found that the three-minute pursuit in the early hours of the morning after the Ford B-Max failed to stop was properly subject to an ongoing dynamic risk-assessment. While communication could have been better between the single-crewed officer in a marked police vehicle and the control room, the evidence we gathered indicates that police actions were reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances faced.

All police officers were treated as witnesses during the course of our investigation. At the end of the investigation, the IOPC raised some learning points with Avon & Somerset Police in respect of the use of in-car recording equipment for pursuit vehicles, the activation of body-worn video cameras during pursuits, and data retrieval from police telematic systems.